★ COMMISSIONER'S LETTER ★

I would like to welcome you to the Department of Elections. The Department across the state offers you useful information and online opportunities through this web site. The roles and responsibilities of the Department are divided between statewide and regional offices. The Office of the Commissioner, the Boards of Elections in each county, and the Departments of Elections in each County.

The Commissioner of Elections is the Chief State Election Official appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The roles and responsibilities of this position and of the office include the following:

To standardize the conduct of elections throughout the state;

To make reasonable rules and regulations with respect to the functions of the Commissioner's office and with respect to the manner of making entries in registration, and; election records to be followed by each department and all registration and election officers.

To have the sole responsibility for the security of the records in the Commissioner's office which shall not be delegated to anyone.

To prescribe the form of the registration and election records which under this title are to be uniform throughout this State so long as they are not in conflict with this title.

To supply necessary instruction and assistance to each department and all registration and election officers in order to insure uniform operation of this title throughout the State.

The Commissioner may develop standards and operating procedures for the purpose of having a statewide uniform election system.

a. ensuring consistency in the redistricting process,b. the use of technology andc. the conduct of general, primary special and school elections.

To be an ex officio member of each county department of elections.

To attend each county department of elections meeting at which time the Commissioner may do the following:

a. Participate in any and all discussions; andb. Cast a vote only in the event of a tie; and

To collect unofficial results of the general election at each election district in the State and to tabulate, report and disseminate the results of the election as soon as possible to the public.

Duties upon receipt of applications for registration.

a. determine whether each application has been properly approved and verified by the department concernedb. return the application to the department concerned for such corrections or additions as may be necessary.c. If the application has been properly approved and verified, the Commissioner shall then cause the information be properly indexed by county election districts and shall be maintained.d. The Commissioner shall check the permanent significant registration number has been assigned by the department. In the event the Commissioner determines that the permanent significant registration number assigned by a department is erroneous, he or she shall assign the proper number, and shall notify the department concerned which shall make the proper corrective entry upon the Election District Record and County Master Record.e. The Commissioner shall cause every application to be microfilmed and indexed and shall destroy each original application.

Preparation of lists of registered voters.

Audit for duplication of names and immediately notify each department concerned.

Audit for names of persons who have not voted in the last 2 general elections and immediately deliver such information to the department concerned.